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Explosion at steel plant in Turkey kills 16, president says
Authorities said the blast likely began when a crane fell into a furnace during steel casting, leaving 16 dead and search teams still looking for survivors.
- On Monday, November 9, 2026, an overhead crane toppled into a furnace at the HABAŞ iron and steel plant in Aliağa, İzmir, sparking a massive explosion and fire that killed 6 workers and left 8 missing.
- The incident occurred around midday when a ceiling crane snapped during liquid steel casting and fell into an arc furnace. Established in 1987, the HABAŞ facility produces 4.5 million tons of steel annually, underscoring the scale of industrial operations at the site.
- Emergency teams continue removing debris to reach trapped workers. Witness Nuri Ali Ulker described the blast as "very intense," saying "I thought it was an earthquake" as the ground shook from the explosion's force.
- Justice Minister Akin Gurlek assigned 4 public prosecutors to investigate the incident. Union spokesperson Oktay Turk condemned the disaster as a "massacre," demanding justice and calling for accountability for those responsible.
- The tragedy follows two other recent worker deaths at the HABAŞ site, intensifying safety concerns. Nationally, at least 1,736 workers died in Turkey during the first 9 months of 2026, reflecting systemic workplace risks across industries.
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279 Articles
ESTAMBUL (AP) — A huge explosion and fire in a steel plant in western Turkey killed 16 people on Monday, authorities said.
·Calhoun, United States
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Judicial and administrative investigations launched into blast at facility in Izmir's Aliaga district, says Recep Tayyip Erdogan
·Ankara, Türkiye
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In a steel plant in Aliaga in the Turkish province of Izmir, a ceiling crane broke down and fell into an industrial furnace during the casting process. 16 people died, the number of deaths could increase.
·Hamburg, Germany
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Chronicle Online+4 Reposted by 4 other sources
Explosion at steel plant in western Turkey leaves 16 dead and 13 injured
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says that a huge explosion and fire at an iron and steel works in western Turkey have left at least 16 people dead. The blast and blaze happened Monday at the HABAS plant in Izmir…
·Crystal River, United States
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Total News Sources279
Leaning Left33Leaning Right38Center28Last UpdatedBias Distribution39% Right
Bias Distribution
- 39% of the sources lean Right
39% Right
L 33%
C 28%
R 39%
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